Stained Glass Grotto
Overview:
One of our founder Rochelle’s favorite things to do is to have “Artist’s Dates” — a series of days where she gets out of her office and heads to an art class of her choice.
For the past few months, all of Rochelle’s art glasses have taken place at the Stained Glass Grotto, a glass studio located in Middleton, Wisconsin. She’s fallen 100% in love with glass art.
In true Ratkaj Designs fashion, once we get our hooks in you, we don’t like to let go. It wasn’t long before Rochelle and the Grotto’s owner Laurel got to talking about the Grotto’s branding. The Stained Glass Grotto was opened in 1998, and during that time, they’ve had the same logo. A perfectly serviceable logo, but one that doesn't begin to convey how friendly, approachable, and inspirational of a place it really is.
Rochelle wanted to know: would you mind if we took a crack at branding that really captured what the studio is all about.
(The answer was yes.)
We seem to say this about every project, but we love this branding. Here are some key visual aspects:
The concept, “Arch of Class,” draws inspiration from the classic arch of a stained glass window that you might see in older buildings. The intersecting lines flow like a landscape, creating an overall design that feels organic with the slightest touch of whimsy.
The accompaning font is clean and simple, designed to be easy on the eyes. It also mirrors the emblem with a similar arch shape.
The intentional use of line weights gives the emblem a sense of solidity, while the typography, with its generous kerning, evokes a feeling of weightlessness and airiness.
And of course, there are the colors. We wanted to capture the vivid hues typical of traditional stained glass, reminiscent of Tiffany lamps and cathedral windows. The bright, striking colors are complemented by deeper tones when combined with black, offering a dynamic range that highlights the glass’s reflective quality. We then expanded that further with a similarly vibrant mosaic pattern design that can be used in different contexts.
All the elements combine to create an identify that not only celebrates the vibrant essence of stained glass, but also aligns with the final aesthetic of what class attendees can create at Stained Glass Grotto.